Sid Meier’s Civilization series has long been a strategy based on the Gold Standard, offering players the thrill of guiding the empire through age and watching history for just one turn at a time.
In Civilization 7, developer Firaxis Games will rethink many aspects of the franchise, introducing improved combat, new views on diplomacy, and a reconstruction of the game’s historical progression.
Only a handful of playthroughs are adopted, making it impossible to grasp the full depth of all leaders, map types, and victory conditions. But after over 30 hours and thousands of “one more turns”, we have a lot of packing.
Destruction and reconstruction of civilization
At its core, Civilization 7 attempts to evolve the equation by shifting away from the traditional linear historical trajectory. Players are currently requesting to move through three different ages (antiline, exploration, modern) and adopt a new civilization. This approach aims to keep gameplay fresh and introduce dynamic changes in human-like cultural identity.
Leaders (which offer many new and interesting options for Civ 7) are no longer tied to fixed empires, cities are downgraded to towns between times, adaptation and flexibility rather than traditional slow accumulation of power Forces sex. This system offers interesting possibilities. This is because players can choose a new civilization every time their ERA transitions and choose a new civilization every time they have access to unique bonuses, units, and citizen passes. On the surface, this promotes flexibility and prevents stagnation that sometimes sneaks into longer civing playthroughs.
However, these ERA-based migration implementations are not without their drawbacks. The sudden nature of these shifts can be felt artificially, and the transition does not have an organic progression that defines the previous entry. Downgrades of cities, resetting diplomatic relations, and decades-building strategies within the game suddenly fall into chaos. Instead of encouraging thoughtful adaptation, these shifts can feel like forced resets rather than evolution. It can also be narratively jarring, simply because Benjamin Franklin’s Reed Roma will switch to Spain in the next era.
That said, the mechanic challenges players to think beyond singular strategies. My initial complaints about losing my unit and changing my civilization gave way to appreciation for the unpredictability it introduces. Each playthrough unfolds uniquely, making it difficult to measure how different players respond. Change is always difficult, and Civ 7 is sincerely embracing it.
A streamlined experience
One of the crucial features of Civilization 7 is its focus on accessibility. The user interface is clearly overhauled, and the game is designed to be more intuitive, especially for newcomers and those who play on consoles. The streamlined mechanic appeals to those who appreciate a smoother entry point for the series.
However, this accessibility comes at the expense of the complexity of the franchise’s trademark. The key mechanisms can feel buried within the menu rather than clearly surfaced for strategic planning. Once a reliable in-game encyclopedia, Civilopedia often fails to properly explain the concept of the core or may not have an entry to explain how a particular system interacts. For veteran players looking to maximize/maximise their empire, this lack of transparency can be frustrating and often forces a certain amount of trial and error.
The weight of decision
Civ 7 presents a pop-up event that introduces more dynamic narrative experiences and offers options that could change the trajectory of civilization. These moments grant bonuses at the expense of diplomatic setbacks and resource management challenges. They offer the illusion of a moral dilemma, but they rarely feel truly consequential. In most cases, the effects are summed up as minor inconveniences. Rather than working on meaningful decisions, you spend influence or resources to smooth out your set-off.
Diplomacy, the basis of civic experience, depends on the point of influence. I am still undecided about this change, just as in past games, leaders have distinct personalities and hidden agendas and evolving relationships shape the political landscape. In Civ 7, diplomacy feels like a transaction number game. Leaders rarely exhibit unique properties beyond simple modifiers, and do not make alliances and rivals feel a little mechanical rather than organic. Playing as Franklin rarely made me pocket the influence, so mileage can vary depending on your leader, play style and difficulty.
City Management
Managing your civilization has always been central to the civic experience, but in Civ 7, this process feels streamlined, but is slightly limited. Classic systems such as assigning citizens to specific tiles reduce the sense of control and customization, but newer systems that use slotted resources are more flexible.
Major improvements are the elimination of builders and workers. This is a welcome change for those who dislike micromanagement. City management is paradoxically not overly simplified and feels both unclear. Some happiness mechanisms, adjacency bonuses, and urban growth opportunities felt less intuitive than previous entries, and demanded that multiple screens be sifted for important information. Given my limited playtime, I don’t fully grasp the long-term implications of these changes, but certain omissions such as the inability to trade cities outside of war are It’s full like a step backwards.
This is a trade-off with a system-focused, strategically focused game. If we could bring back the times to the 2016 Civ 6 release, we might have spent a lot of time trying to decode the system just like this one. Certainly, history repeats itself.
Please look at the parts
On a positive note, Civ 7 is really good at its presentation. This game is visually amazing. The detailed environment and impressive animations make each civilization a reality. The wonders are beautifully rendered, and the maps are filled with vibrant details that will make exploration challenging. Christopher Tin’s soundtrack adds epic layers to the experience, giving the gameplay an epic and operatic feel. Gwendolyn Christie’s narration can only be overlooked by Sean Bean’s grand narration, but it also lends its gravity to enrich the atmosphere.
But despite its visual splendor, the core gameplay is a full-fledged gameplay defined by the urgent storytelling and the thrill of empire building. For better or worse, I don’t fully grasp it. While the epic linear tale of war and alliance, victory and conquest is still there, the changing times can feel like a hit of inertia at the peak of gameplay momentum.
Often, a stopwatch is carved into the eyebrows, but no welcome change has been seen yet. With an undeniably sophisticated framework coating efficient, oiled machines, the core gameplay loop can still attract players, but snap equally if you’re not careful.
Final thoughts
Civilization 7 takes bold steps towards accessibility and rationalization, but in doing so it sacrifices some of the depth and complexity that made the series iconic. The change in civilization based in a new era is ambitious, but the times allow us to see how old these issues are. Diplomacy is a bit shallow, but urban management is easy, if not more restrictive.
But for all these criticisms, that “another turn” magic is still very much alive. When I first started Civ 7, I was lost in that world for 12 consecutive hours. Despite its flaws, it remains an attractive and addictive strategy game. This is a game that invites the most harsh comparisons from itself, and invites the previous entry, an empire taking into account its evolution. Do you stagnate or pursue the unknown with new ones? The Civilization series has always been about change, but ironically, change is often the one that the fanbase struggles most.
Will Civ 7 stand the test of time like its predecessor? I can’t see that yet. Whether longtime fans embrace the change or admire the familiarity of previous entries, Civilization 7 makes the franchise’s evolution appealing and sometimes jarring. And despite its failure, it remains the best turn-based Empire builder on the market.
4 stars (out of 5)
Highlights: Streamlined city buildings. Gorgeous visuals; Civilization changes based on ambitious times
Low light: Shifts can be a bit uncomfortable. A streamlined approach to gameplay also strips a sense of control and freedom
Developer: Firaxis Games
Publisher: 2K Games
Platforms: Windows PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
Available: Now
Reviews conducted on PC via Steam using release code provided by the publisher.
